Disturbing video footage shows a man crawling outside a hospital in Canada after doctors assumed he was „faking“ severe leg pain.
David Pontoni, 45, is seen on all four rounds pulling himself out of Humber River Hospital in Toronto after his early discharge – because staff dismissed his problem as psychological, According to CBC News.
„They thought I was faking it because I was bipolar,“ Pontoni told CBC of the April 2018 incident. The surveillance footage was only released after the broadcaster obtained it.
„There are no words to describe what I went through that night.“
While hospitalized, Bunton – who was later diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder – told staff that he was taking medication for Two-way disorder But it was stable for seven years.
But revealing his mental health history prompted the doctor to order an MRI and refer him to a psychiatrist on call, CBC News reported.
Although Bunton complained of experiencing excruciating physical pain, the psychiatrist wrote that „anxiety“ was the most prevalent symptom, according to medical records obtained by Canadian Radio.
Another note in the hospital records indicates that Bonneti’s visit was due to „bipolar disorder“ and did not even mention difficulty walking.
When the MRI revealed no unusual findings, a psychiatrist took Bunton out – forcing him to crawl out of the hospital on his hands and knees.
„The pain was unbearable,“ Bunton said. „It was impossible to walk properly.“
In points from the newly obtained footage, Pontone is shown struggling on the ground while a nurse stands next to him.
„The nurse kept saying, ‚You’re a big boy! You’re strong!‘ Bunton said, ‚Come on, big boy, stand up!‘ I was mad. I felt completely helpless. “
Pontoni took about 20 minutes to reach the exit, then a security guard helped him take a taxi.
An ambulance later took him to a Toronto Western Hospital, where a neurologist diagnosed him with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a disorder in which a person’s immune system attacks his nerves.
Experts told the outlet that medical personnel often ignore serious physical health problems in mentally ill people.
„We are failing this population miserably,“ said Dr. Vicky Stirgiopoulos, a psychiatrist and lead physician at the Center for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto. „[The system] Shame on we need to do a better job of seeing people as human beings. „
Vanessa Burkowski, head nurse at Humber River Hospital in Toronto, later apologized, the Pontoni family told the outlet.
Hospital spokesperson Joe Gorman sent a statement saying that the hospital was „extremely disturbed“ by the incident and that the staff involved had „been treated accordingly.“
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